Councilor alleges open meeting law violation

HYANNIS — A Barnstable town councilor has filed a second complaint in a month alleging town council violated the state's Open Meeting Law.

MOLLY A.K. CONNORS

HYANNIS — A Barnstable town councilor has filed a second complaint in a month alleging town council violated the state's Open Meeting Law.

In a complaint filed with Barnstable's town clerk Wednesday, James Crocker Jr. said town council followed the wrong procedures when it held an executive session on March 17. The council justified the closed-door session — one of two that night — by saying the panel would discuss strategy for negotiations with a non-union employee, according to Crocker.

But during the meeting, councilors instead discussed the job performance of Town Manager John Klimm, who read from a three-page prepared document during the meeting and discussed his professional competence, according to Crocker's complaint.

Crocker also alleges that Klimm threatened to sue at least one council member "if statements were made in public."

Klimm, reached by phone, said he had not seen Crocker's complaint, so he could not comment on it. But he said the complaint was motivated by political tensions on the council.

Crocker filed a similar complaint with the town clerk's office on March 10 alleging town council violated the Open Meeting Law by holding an executive session on Feb. 17 to discuss the job performance of an employee without notifying that employee. Town council released the minutes from the Feb. 17 executive session, but councilors are split on how to address Crocker's complaint.

Council president Frederick Chirigotis, who presided over the executive session meetings, could not immediately be reached for comment.

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